The Best of 2018 The Most Influential Women Of 2018

The greatest women in history change the game in terms of the power and the presence women have in society. From inspirational female celebrities to business women to political activists, women have made a truly amazing impact in 2018! While much of the news about women in the world has been bleak, it has been a great year for women in terms of illuminating and addressing systemic problems in the United States and the world.

The Me Too movement has made many aware of the epidemic of sexual violence in Hollywood and elsewhere and has been spearheaded by the likes of Oprah Winfrey, Ashley Judd, and Salma Hayek. In the wake of Hillary Clinton's 2016 loss, female politicians like Elizabeth Warren have become an increasingly vocal presence in the political sector. Powerful world leaders like Angela Merkel and Meghan Markle continue to make headlines and female writers like Roxane Gay put difficult topics into perspective for the public.

Who are the most inspiring women of 2018? Vote up the most influential women below and feel free to add anyone you think is missing!

list ordered by

1

439 206

Taylor Swift Taylor Alison Swift is an American singer-songwriter. Raised in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania, Swift moved to Nashville, Tennessee, at the age of 14 to pursue a career in country music. She signed ...more

2

526 485

Michelle Obama Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama is an American lawyer, university administrator, and writer who served as the First Lady of the United States from 2009 to 2017. She is married to the 44th U.S. ...more

3

395 364

jsnungaray added Sandra Bullock Sandra Annette Bullock is an American actress and film producer. She is one of Hollywood's highest-paid actresses, and is the recipient of one Academy Award from two nominations, and one Golden ...more

4

400 383

Emma Watson Emma Charlotte Duerre Watson is an English actress, model, and activist. Watson rose to prominence as Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter film series, appearing in all eight Harry Potter films ...more

5

373 362

jsnungaray added Charlize Theron Charlize Theron (born 7 August 1975) is a South African-American actress and film producer. She is the recipient of several accolades, including an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and the ...more

6

352 374

J. K. Rowling Joanne "Jo" Rowling, OBE FRSL, pen names J. K. Rowling and Robert Galbraith, is a British novelist best known as the author of the Harry Potter fantasy series. The books have gained ...more

7

377 417

Ellen DeGeneres Ellen Lee DeGeneres is an American comedian, television host, actress, writer, and producer. She was the star in the popular sitcom Ellen from 1994 to 1998, and has hosted her syndicated talk ...more

8

386 431

Oprah Winfrey Oprah Gail Winfrey is an American media proprietor, talk show host, actress, producer, and philanthropist. Winfrey is best known for her multi-award-winning talk show The Oprah Winfrey Show, ...more

9

427 485

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex Meghan, Duchess of Sussex (born Rachel Meghan Markle; August 4, 1981), is an American-born member of the British royal family, and a former film and television actress. Markle was born and ...more

10

360 402

Elizabeth II Elizabeth II is the Queen of 16 of the 53 member states in the Commonwealth of Nations. She is Head of the Commonwealth and Supreme Governor of the Church of England. Upon her accession on 6 ...more

11

316 355

The Superhero Nerd added Gal Gadot Gal Gadot is an Israeli actress and fashion model. She won the Miss Israel title in 2004 and went on to represent Israel at the 2004 Miss Universe beauty pageant. She is the leading fashion ...more

12

252 309

Meryl Streep Meryl Streep is an American actress. A three-time Academy Award winner, she is widely regarded as one of the greatest film actors of all time. Streep made her professional stage debut in The ...more

13

214 257

Beyoncé Knowles Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, she performed in various singing and dancing competitions as a child, and ...more

14

258 336

Reese Witherspoon Laura Jeanne Reese Witherspoon is an American actress and producer. She made her film debut as the female lead in the film The Man in the Moon in 1991. In 1996, she appeared in Freeway and ...more

15

184 228

Katherine Gallardo added Selena Gomez Selena Marie Gomez is an American actress and singer. Born and raised in Grand Prairie, Texas, she was first featured on the children's series Barney & Friends in the early 2000s. In 2007, ...more

16

259 348

Ruth Bader Ginsburg Ruth Joan Bader Ginsburg is an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. Ginsburg was appointed by President Bill Clinton and took the oath of office on August 10, 1993. She ...more

17

64 53

Ariana Grande Ariana Grande-Butera, known professionally as Ariana Grande, is an American singer and actress. She began her career in the Broadway musical 13, before landing the role of Cat Valentine on the ...more

18

228 316

Angela Merkel Angela Merkel is the current Chancellor of Germany and the head of the political party CDU in Germany. In addition to being the first female German Chanchellor, she is also considered by Forbes ...more

19

359 537

Melania Trump Melania Knauss-Trump is a Slovenian former model and the wife of American real estate magnate Donald Trump. They married on January 22, 2005.

20

170 251

Melinda Gates Melinda French Gates, is an American businessperson and philanthropist. She is the wife of Bill Gates, and the co-founder of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. She worked at Microsoft, ...more

21

175 268

Emma González Emma González is an American activist and advocate for gun control. As a high school senior she survived the February 2018 Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida, and ...more

22

159 247

Tina Fey Elizabeth Stamatina "Tina" Fey is an American actress, comedian, writer, and producer. She is best known for her work on the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live, the ...more

23

266 453

Ivanka Trump Ivanka Marie Trump is an American businesswoman, writer, and former model. In her role as Executive Vice President of Development & Acquisitions at The Trump Organization, Trump is involved ...more

24

138 221

Jennifer Lawrence Jennifer Shrader Lawrence is an American actress. Her first major role was as a lead cast member on the TBS sitcom The Bill Engvall Show. She appeared in the independent dramas The Burning Plain ...more

25

530 951

jsnungaray added Madonna Madonna Louise Ciccone is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and businesswoman. She achieved popularity by pushing the boundaries of lyrical content in mainstream popular music and imagery ...more

26

165 308

jkzion21 added Sarah Huckabee Sanders Sarah Elizabeth Huckabee Sanders (born August 13, 1982) is an American campaign manager and political advisor who was appointed White House Press Secretary to President Donald Trump in July ...more

27

131 251

Elizabeth Warren Elizabeth Ann Warren is an American academic and politician who is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts and a member of the Democratic Party. She was previously a Harvard Law ...more

28

60 113

RobertDowney added Theresa May Theresa Mary May PC is a British Conservative politician, and the current UK Home Secretary. May was first elected to Parliament in 1997 as Member of Parliament for Maidenhead. She went on to be ...more

29

132 265

Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton is an American attorney, politician and member of the Democratic Party. As the wife of the 42nd President of the United States, Bill Clinton, she was First Lady of ...more

30

98 201

Salma Hayek Salma Hayek Pinault is a Mexican and American film actress, director, and producer. She began her career in Mexico starring in the telenovela Teresa and went on to star in the film El ...more

31

17 33

Kate McKinnon Kate McKinnon Berthold, commonly known as Kate McKinnon, is an American actress, voice actress, and comedian. She is best known for her sketch comedy work as a cast member on Saturday Night Live ...more

32

109 240

jkzion21 added Kellyanne Conway Kellyanne Elizabeth Conway is a Republican strategist and pollster. She is president and CEO of the polling company, inc./WomanTrend.

33

92 203

Tarana Burke Tarana Burke is an African-American civil rights activist from The Bronx, New York who founded the Me Too movement. In 2006, Burke began using the phrase "Me Too" to raise awareness of ...more

34

69 158

Kamala Harris Kamala Devi Harris is an American attorney, politician and member of the Democratic Party who has been the 32nd and current Attorney General of California since 2011. Harris graduated from ...more

35

45 106

RobertDowney added Arundhati Bhattacharya Arundhati Bhattacharya is an Indian banker. She is the first woman to be the Chairperson of State Bank of India. In 2014, she was listed as the 36th most powerful woman in the world by Forbes.

36

112 258

Tomi Lahren Tomi Lahren (born August 11, 1992) is an American conservative political commentator and former television host. She garnered international attention as the host of Tomi on TheBlaze, ...more

37

73 170

Tiffany Haddish Tiffany Haddish credits her social worker for her success as a comedian/actress. Growing up in foster care in South Central Los Angeles, it was her excessive talking and imaginary friends that ...more

38

24 65

RobertDowney added Aung San Suu Kyi Aung San Suu Kyi AC is a Burmese opposition politician and chairperson of the National League for Democracy in Burma. In the 1990 general election, the NLD won 59% of the national votes and 81% ...more

39

22 64

RobertDowney added Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (born 29 October 1938) is the 24th and current President of Liberia. She served as Minister of Finance under President William Tolbert from 1979 until the 1980 coup ...more

40

16 51

RobertDowney added Tarja Halonen Tarja Kaarina Halonen is a Finnish politician who was the 11th President of Finland, serving from 2000 to 2012. She was the first female head of state in Finland and while she was in office, in ...more

41

28 80

RobertDowney added Sonia Gandhi Sonia Gandhi is an Italian-born Indian politician, who has served as President of the Indian National Congress party since 1998. She is the widow of former Prime Minister of India, Rajiv Gandhi ...more

42

17 54

RobertDowney added Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović is a Croatian politician serving as President of Croatia since February 2015. From 2011 to 2014 she served as Assistant Secretary General for Public Diplomacy at NATO ...more

43

93 234

jkzion21 added Sarah Palin Sarah Louise Palin is an American politician, commentator, and author who served as the ninth Governor of Alaska, from 2006 to her resignation in 2009. As the Republican Party nominee for Vice ...more

44

107 268

Cardi B Belcalis Almanzar (born October 11, 1992), known professionally as Cardi B, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and media personality. Born and raised in The Bronx, New York, she first ...more

45

16 52

brianmacdonald added Kim Kardashian Kimberly "Kim" Kardashian West is an American television and social media personality, socialite, and model. Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, Kardashian first gained media ...more

46

73 188

Betsy DeVos Elisabeth Dee DeVos (born January 8, 1958) is an American businesswoman, philanthropist, politician, and the United States Secretary of Education. DeVos is a Republican known for her support for ...more

47

61 160

Ashley Judd Ashley Judd is an American actress and political activist. She grew up in a family of successful performing artists as the daughter of country music singer Naomi Judd and the sister of Wynonna ...more

48

74 193

Meghan McCain Meghan Marguerite McCain is an American columnist, author and blogger. She is a daughter of U.S. Senator John McCain and Cindy Hensley McCain. McCain first received media attention in 2007 for ...more

49

56 152

Frances McDormand Frances Louise McDormand is an American actress. She married director and writer Joel Coen in 1984 and has starred in several of the Coen brothers' films, including Blood Simple, Raising ...more

50

129 330

RobertDowney added Katrín Jakobsdóttir Katrín Jakobsdóttir is an Icelandic politician and a member of the Althing for the Reykjavík North constituency since 2007. She is the leader of the Left-Green Movement and ...more